Bloodline
by Twistedsystem009
Summary: As far as Corian Sorleigh knows, she's just a regular Imperial girl. On a family cleaning day, she finds something suspicious in her mother's room. With clues about where her father resides, she makes the journey to Skyrim. Will she finish it, or give up halfway? SPOILERS: Thieves Guild spoilers.
1. Chapter 1 The Journey Begins

"Corian, go clean the bedrooms. We won't be getting any customers if there are rats running around." My mother commanded, wiping sweat off of her brow and washing her cleaning rag in a basin.

I obeyed silently, taking a broom and a rag from an endtable near the door. I started with ma's room, the first door on the left. I swept the floor, wiped down the surfaces, and polished the windows. When I was done, I leaned back against the wall. Without warning, the boards behind my shoulders gave in and caused me to tumble to the floor. I coughed as dust filled my lungs and stood so suddenly that my head spun.

"Corian! Are you okay?" Roran, my brother, called up the stairs.

"I'm fine!" I called, slowly approaching the hole in the wall.

Inside, was a chest and small wooden box. I reached for the chest. It was surprisingly light. I carried the box and the chest to the bed and opened them. Inside the chest was a set of full armour and an old pack. I reached for the box, then stopped, my fingers inches from the oak wood. It was engraved with a dragon, whose sapphire scales glittered in the sunlight. I lightly ran my index finger through the grooves and over the ancient sapphires. I held my breath while I opened it, then exhaled in a sharp gust. There was fine jewlery beneath the lid-a jade and emerald circlet, an emerald ring, and a silver and emerald necklace. I gently pushed aside the jewlery to reveal a small, leather bound journal. I flipped through the pages carefully, for they were fragile and stiff. As I skimmed the pages, one entry caught my eye.

_Met a mysterious man today. He's called Mercer Frey. I'm thinking about pursing him-both for the thrill and the possibility of a large sum over his dead soul._

I caught my breath as I realized what the armour in the chest was. Dark Brotherhood armour. I shivered at the prospect of my mother being an assassin.

_It's been a few days since the first time me and Mercer had...intimate contact. I went to a priestess of Kynareth and she told me that I'm pregnant. I'll have to tell Mercer eventually._

Could this mean that this Mercer man is my father?

_It's definate. Me and Mercer are marrying! AND it's a girl. A sweet, little baby girl. We haven't decided on a name yet, but I want it to be something with meaning. _

_We decided on a name. Corian. It means that she will be clever and reserved. I find this a proper name for my daughter._

I slammed the book shut and closed my eyes. I sat on the edge of the bed and tried to take it all in. My eyes flew open. I slid the small box into the chest and carried it to my room. When I had locked the door, I opened the journal to the last page.

_Mercer left me. He said that it wasn't safe for me to be with him. He left me alone with his daughter of two winters and his newborn son. He resides in Skyrim, but I'm not sure where._

I stood, suddenly, and opened the chest. I pulled out the contents and began to search the room frantically. I wrapped up some food in a small blanket and slid it into the pack. I put ingredients, dusty potions, a good book, and two rusty katanas hanging on the wall into my pack.

"Corian! Come tend to this customer, will you? I'm busy." Mum called.

"Yes, mum!" I replied.

It was 8:30 at night. The shops had closed and everyone was inside, enjoying time with their families. I had just closed up the inn for the night. I slipped up the stairs and past the patron's rooms. I had replaced the chest and fixed the wall, so mum wouldn't notice anything missing, but I kept the box in my pack. As soon as I had dressed in the snug armour, sheathed my weapons, and slung my pack over my shoulder, I left the inn silently. I had always been stealthy. I never had any training...it just came naturally.

I walked to the stables and asked for a horse. I was grateful for the hood, because Torn, the stable master, would have never let me leave if he knew who I was. I rode all the way to the docks and took a boat called Teirm to the shores of Skyrim.

And this is just the beginning.

**Like it? I've had this idea in my head for ages. I just always liked those long stories with a twist and a dangerous journey through foriegn lands and all that. Hope you enjoyed! I'll be updating soon with our antagonist/heroine in the **_**ever **_**so happy lands of Skyrim.**

**That was supposed to be sarcasam, by the way...yeah...you probably got it.**


	2. Chapter 2 Skyrim

I stood on the deck, letting the salt water spray me. I watched the icy, blue-grey waves roll towards the shore and lick the dirt. In the distance, I could see the jagged line of stone towers rising above the walls. A flag waved loosely in the late spring breeze.

"Skyrim." I breathed.

"Aye, lass."

I flashed the captain a grin, and then turned back to the shore. When we let down the anchor, I jumped off of the boat and stood in the waving grass, breathing in the fresh air. I began to make my way to the city. During the boat ride, I had changed into hide armour that I found lying around, so I wouldn't attract suspicion. When I made it there, the residents were chatting pleasantly with each other and enjoying the sunny day.

"Hello, traveler! Enjoying Helgen, eh?" A guard asked, smiling beneath his Imperial helm.

"How could I not? Can you tell me where the closest city is?"

"Whiterun hold, my friend. Closest stop is Riverwood. Cross the bridge and follow the stream downhill. You'll be to Pelagia farm in no time." He answered cheerfully.

I thanked him and continued through the cobblestone streets. Before I got a chance to speak to anyone else, I heard a guard cry out a warning.

"Prisoners coming! Call the headsman! Call the captain! General Tullius arrives!"

A quiet murmur rushed through the town. Everyone was silent until two horse drawn carriages arrived at the gates. I was completely still as the carriages passed me. Stormcloaks. As General Tullius passed on his horse, he glanced down at me curiously. I kept my gaze trained on the carts. In the last cart sat Ulfric Stormcloak, a blonde soldier, a thin man in torn robes, and a woman. The woman was wearing a dress that had been ripped in many places. She seemed to be only half conscious. Ulfric looked protective of her and it took me a few minutes to remember that Ulfric had married after he murdered the High King. I ran a hand through my hair absentmindedly and went to watch the execution.

Most of it went by quickly, at least until they got to Ulfric's wife. She lifted her chin and straightened her back. Ulfric shouted something incoherent from behind the gag. A deafening roar broke the venomous silence, as the headsman raised his axe over the woman's stiff form. I looked up to see a dragon sitting atop the stone tower behind the chopping block. It shouted something that blurred my vision and made me stumble sideways. Voices overlapped and made no sense at all. I looked around and saw Ulfric's wife still on the ground. I rushed forward and grabbed her arm, pulling her to her feet. I ran with her to a tower and quickly dodged a shower of rocks.

"Thank you!" She gasped, once I had untied her hands and returned her to Ulfric.

"You're welcome." I placed a hand on one of hers and left the tower quickly, making my own way out of Helgen.

* * *

Mercer stood in front of the map once again, at a loss for ideas of how to get in the Blue Palace unnoticed. He sighed and rubbed his temple.

"Mercer!" Brynjolf called, clutching a sheet of parchment with wide eyes.

"Look at this." He thrust the paper to Mercer.

"_Cora Frey saves the wife of Ulfric Stormcloak of death by dragon._" He read aloud.

"This can't be a coincidence, Mercer. It's her." Bryn insisted, shaking his head.

"Cora Frey…" Mercer repeated, scratching his scruffy, un-groomed cheek.

"You're probably right, Bryn. Now, what in Oblivion is she doing in Skyrim?"


End file.
